South Carolina Children’s Book Award Activity Guide 2005 – 2006 Nominees

South Carolina Children’s Book AwardActivity Guide 2005 – 2006 Nominees Almost Forever Maria Testa Candlewick Press, 2003 69 pages Summary/Book Notes: A first-grade girl describes what s

South Carolina Children’s Book Award

Activity Guide

2005 – 2006 Nominees

Almost Forever

Maria Testa Candlewick Press, 2003

69 pages

Summary/Book Notes:

A first-grade girl describes what she, her brother, and their mother do duringthe year that her doctor father is serving in the army in Vietnam Shedescribes, in free verse, saying good-bye, missing him, watching the news ofwar, reading his daily letters home, and then the terror when his letters stopcoming The book gives a picture of the times as well as of the individualneeds and fears of a six-year-old girl

If you liked this book try:

Letters from Wolfie by Patti Sherlock

Patrol: An American Soldier in Vietnam by Walter Dean Myers

My Name is San Ho by Jayne Pettit

Charlie Pippin by Candy Dawson Boyd

Park’s Quest by Katherine Paterson

was not, and that one year was forever.” These are the things with which thesix-year old narrator must deal when her father is drafted and has to go toVietnam in 1967 These are some of her worries; along with the fear offorgetting what the sound of her father’s voice is like, the worry that eventhough he is a doctor, “Doctors get hurt, too…bullets and bombs do not carethat you went to medical school,” and the even greater fear when her father’sletters stop coming and no one seems to know where he is This insight intothe feelings of love and loss, told in short poems, lets us into the heart of afamily who must deal with the universal feelings of fear and loss when one

of its members must go off to war and will be gone Almost Forever.

Prepared by:

Jane Chinault

Animal House and Iz

Betty Hicks Roaring Book Press, 2003

172 pages

Summary/Book Notes:

Betty Hicks takes us on another adventure into the world of blended families

as we meet Elizabeth, who becomes better known as “Iz.” She joins herstepbrothers in the G E D plan, learns about friendship changes, and breaks

it to her somewhat “formal” mother that she not only loves her but also hernew life

If You Liked This Book, Try:

Surviving the Applewhites by Stephanie S Tolan

Pictures of Hollis Woods by Patricia R Giff

I Smell Like Ham by Betty Hicks

My Mother Got Married and Other Disasters by Barbara Park

Mister and Me by Kimberly Holt Willis

Falling Into Place by Stephanie Green

The In-Between Days by Eve Bunting

I Hate Weddings by P J Petersen

Shiloh by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor

2 What is the life expectancy of all the animals in the house?

3 Why do crickets chirp?

4 Choose one of the animals in the story, and research the care required for it

my “never-a-dull-moment” life? Well, you’ll just have to read Animal House and Iz to find out!

Prepared by:

Kitt Lisenby

Belle Teal

Ann M Martin Scholastic, 2001

214 pages

Summary:

Belle Teal Harper’s entrance into fifth-grade in the early 1960’s brings manychanges and challenges as her Gran’s memory begins to slip, her mom

spends long hours away at work, and her class gets two new students,

including an African-American boy

If You Liked This Book, Try:

A Corner of the Universe by Ann M Martin

Esperanza Rising by Pam Munoz Ryan

Ruby Holler by Sharon Creech

Any Small Goodness by Tony Johnston

Saving Lily by Peg Kehret

Mysterious Matter of I M Fine by Diane Stanley

Joshua’s Song by Joan H Harlow

Loser by Jerry Spinelli

Curriculum Connections:

Guidance:

This book could lead to discussions on child abuse, racial discrimination, grandparents with Alzheimers, bullying, and dealing with grief It could also lead to discussions of good advice from parents and handling responsibility

Booktalk:

Here is a book that will ring so true with your students they will feel like they have lived through the integration of their school They will feel the fear that Darryl experiences and the anger Little Boss expresses They will also see that having a loving home, strong values and good friends can prepare you for some of the difficult experiences of life and give you hope for a better tomorrow In this book Ann Martin really shows her ability to speak in a child’s voice and tell a story that can touch everyone deeply Prepared by: Marcia Russo

The Capture:

Book 1 of the Guardians Of Ga’Hoole Series

Kathryn Lasky Scholastic, Inc., 2003

222 pages

Summary:

Soren, a young barn owl, is kidnapped and taken to a special school for

“orphaned” owls He is befriended by an elf owl, Gylfie, who has also beenkidnapped Together, the two set out to discover what evil is really going on

at St Aegolius Academy and how they might be able to escape and return totheir families

If You Liked This Book, Try:

The Journey; The Rescue; The Siege; The Shattering; The Burning by

Kathryn Lasky

Owls in the Family by Farley Mowat

Poppy by Avi

There’s an Owl in the Shower by Jean Craighead George

Barn Owls by Wolfgang Epple

Owls by Deborah Kops

The Redwall books by Brian Jacques

is snatched but finds an ally in Gylfie, an equally young elf owl Togetherthey manage to resist brainwashing and attempt to find explanations as theyplot their escape They overcome gruesome obstacles, meet assorted villainsand heroes, and uncover a horrifying plot involving total domination of theirworld Read the book to find out if they escape and what they do tocounteract the diabolical plans of St Aegolius Academy for Orphaned Owls.

[from review by Kathleen McBroom, Library Media Connection, January

2004]

Prepared by: Leigh Ann Bryant and Susannah Bryant

Chief: The Life Of Peter J Ganci, A New York City Fire

Fighter

Chris Ganci Orchard Books, 2003

40 pages

Summary:

A photo-filled chronicle of the life of New York fire chief Peter J Ganci, who died in the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001, written by his son Chris

If You Liked This Book, Try:

Heroes of the Day: The War on Terrorism, by Nancy Louis

Firefighters’ Folklore, by Ellyn Sanna

First to Arrive: Firefighters at Ground Zero, by Alison Kelley

Curriculum Connections:

Guidance: Share this book as a starting point for discussions on the war on terrorism and in Iraq, death of a loved one, and fear

Language Arts: Use this book to introduce a unit on memoirs Have

students write poems to respond to the text

Careers: Read this book and discuss the benefits and drawbacks to choosingcareers in the public service fields

me that a plane had hit the World Trade Center in New York City As the events of the day unfolded, I realized that our world had changed forever But I still had a job to do, and I went out there and read to those

kindergarteners and did my job We were lucky A school library in South Carolina is very far from New York, and Pennsylvania, and Washington DC

But this book, Chief, will tell you about someone who was very close to all

the action; in fact, he was there helping people escape the flames of the

towers, and he died there He was doing his job This book was written by

his son as a memorial to his father

Prepared by: Susannah Hogan

Diary of a Worm

Doreen Cronin HarperCollins, 2003

If you liked this book, try:

Click, Clack, Moo: Cows That Type, by Doreen Cronin

Duck for President, by Doreen Cronin

Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus, by Mo Willems

A Fine, Fine School, by Sharon Creech

How to Eat Fried Worms, by Thomas Rockwell

Curriculum Connections:

• Worms come in all different sizes and lengths Bring in a bag of

gummy worms for students to measure The students can work in groups and record the findings in a science journal Measure the worms as is Ask students to make predictions as to the new length once the gummy worm is stretched to full capacity Cut the gummy worms into varying lengths and repeat the activity

• In Diary of a Worm, the worm characters do the hokey pokey The

only body part that they can put in (i.e “you put your left foot in …”)

is their heads! Ask children to think about which other animals move similarly to worms Then discuss some other ways that animals move

—slithering, jumping, crawling, etc As a writing lesson, teach

students about nouns and verbs, and write phrases to describe differentanimal movements (either as a group or individually) For example, snakes slither, cats stretch, dogs run, etc As an extension activity, do the hokey pokey by making the different animal movements that students have brainstormed

• Many students practice their writing by keeping a journal at school

and/or at home Use selections from Diary of a Worm to discuss

different ways of recording information—sentences, numbered lists, photographs, illustrations, and so on Encourage students to use

various techniques in their own journals

• The worm characters in Diary of a Worm make macaroni necklaces

Purchase various shapes of pastas Prepare for this activity by dyeing the pasta beforehand, using a food coloring and vinegar soak Have students sort the pasta in a variety of ways (e.g color, shape)

Introduce the idea of patterning to students and have them make stringed necklaces in a pattern of their choice

a diary of his daily experiences, including school and home activities

Although his activities are not much different from most of ours, some adjustments have to be made to accommodate his “wormness” You and

your students will giggle, laugh, and be inspired by Diary of a Worm.

Prepared by: Becky Bridges

Disappearing Act

Sid Fleischman Greenwillow Books, 2003

133 Pages

Summary/Book Notes:

An unseen man they call the Toad is stalking twelve-year-old Kevin and his older sister, Holly They flee town in Holly's beat-up old car, driving west until they reach the Pacific Ocean They change their names and attempt to hide in plain sight as street performers in Venice, California But have they really eluded the Toad?

From the opening sentence, this page-turner of a novel is alive with surprise twists and suspense Imagine a buried city made entirely of gold! Watch big Bumpy Rhoades juggle twenty-pound watermelons on the boardwalk Meet Daisy, an aspiring artist with braces on her teeth who helps Kevin become a beachside fortune-teller And notice the man in the white suit? Is he the Toad?

Here is Newbery Medalist and former professional magician Sid Fleischmandoing what he does best - spinning a tale with style, comic touches, and a double-barreled theme lurking behind the laughter

If you liked this book try:

The Abracadabra Kid: A Writer’s Life by Sid Fleischman

Bravo! Brava! A Night at the Opera: Behind the Scenes with Composers, Cast, and Crew by Anne Siberell

The Fortune-Tellers by Lloyd Alexander; illustrated by Trina Schart Hyman The Whipping Boy by Sid Fleischman

Curriculum Connections:

• Ask students to write about what they would do if they were running from a stalker Would they change their names? Where would they go? Use as a “kick off” to creative writing

• Use to introduce “humor” into student writing

• Use as a read-a-loud Begin with a mystery book box-put items such asWhere the Wild Things Are, a photo of the Statue of Liberty, and a stuffed toad in a box Pull out each and have kids predict what the

story might be about before you read it Be sure to play opera music inthe background or after you have read aloud.

• Map out all of the places Kevin and Holly have been to

up with a watermelon juggler and becomes his hat man Holly is able to continue her love of opera by singing for tips on the beach Things are going well for the kids But can this keep up? Will the stalker find them here? And what could he possibly want?

From: Nancy Keane’s Booktalks Quick and Simple

http://www.nancykeane.com/booktalks/default.htm

Prepared by: Valerie Byrd

Doing Time Online

Jan Siebold Albert Whitman and Company, 2002

88 pages

Summary:

After he is involved in a prank that led to an elderly woman’s injury, year-old Mitchell must make amends by participating in a police program inwhich he chats online with a nursing home resident

twelve-If you like this book, try:

Something to Remember Me By by Susan V Bosak

Sunshine Home by Eve Bunting

The Golden Days by Gail Radley

Wilfrid Gordan McDonald Partridge by Mem Fox

When I am Old With You by Angela Johnson

This Is Your Captain Speaking by Ivy Ruckman

Curriculum Connections:

Language Arts:

Write a poem about responsibility

Interview an older family member and record family stories or compare andcontrast the different generations

Adopt an older family member or nursing home resident and correspondwith them

Math:

After developing a questionnaire to interview an older family member, graphthe class results about age, birthdates, family information, jobs held, etc.Figure the amount of time Mitchell spent online chatting and then find theaverage number of minutes per day

Social Studies:

Interview older friends or family members who lived during historicalperiods of time studies, etc WWII Write about their life during that time.Invite them to speak in your class

Grandparents Day Activities

Lesson plan and curriculum activities for developing relationships with older people

Prepared by: Theresa Harmon

The Elephant Hospital

Kathy Darling Millbrook Press, 2002

40 pages

Summary/Book Notes:

This photographic essay describes the work done by veterinarians at the Elephant Hospital in Thailand, including helping pregnant and newborn elephants, elephants injured and abused in logging operations, and elephants with illnesses and infections

If You Liked This Book, Try:

The Asiatic Elephant, by William Sanford

Gorilla Doctors: Protecting Endangered Great Apes, by Pamela S Turner

Curriculum Connections:

Social Studies: Locate Thailand on a map Research the country and create

a travel guide for it

Science: Research the Asiatic Elephant or another endangered species Whymight it be important to save the specific species you chose?

Math: Use the information in the book to figure out how many pounds of food and gallons of water it would take to care for different numbers of elephants Do research to learn how much money this might cost

Language arts: Write letters to the veterinarians at the Elephant Hospital, asking them questions about their work and their country

Careers: Research the different types of veterinary jobs available What education must you have for each job?

When Soraida Salwala was a young girl, she and her father happened upon

an elephant that had been hit by a car She wanted to take "Uncle Elephant"

to the hospital; when her father informed her that there was no hospital for elephants, she was heartbroken In 1994, Soraida realized a lifelong dream tocreate a hospital for elephants The Elephant Hospital in Lampang, Thailand,

is the first of its kind in the world The hospital has cared for hundreds of elephants that have been abused in the illegal logging trade These elephants have been given drugs to make them work faster or have been crippled by land mines Soraida and her staff treat elephants with varying ailments, whether natural or due to their contact with humans To discover more about this amazing place and the amazing people who work there, read The

Elephant Hospital by Kathy Darling (From Animal Planet: Animal Rescue,

http://animal.discovery.com/convergence/safari/elephant/expert/expert.html)Prepared by: Susannah Hogan

Falling Into Place

Stephanie Greene Clarion Books, 2002

128 pages

Summary/Book Notes:

Margaret is not happy with the change that has taken place at her house, and

so she leaves the situation, just before her new sister or brother is born, to spend time with her grandmother She wants to talk to her grandmother about her problem, feeling like a balloon that gets away or like dominoes all falling down Her cousin Roy is at her grandmother’s too Margaret is rude

to him She finds that her grandmother is moody, so she sets out, with Roy intow, to visit Gran’s neighbors in the retirement community and invite them

to Gran’s house for a party All this is planned without her Gran’s

knowledge Greene has us meet three of Gran’s neighbors, who are

portrayed vividly as human, three-dimensional folks So, by the time

Margaret fixes Gran’s problem of isolating herself due to grief, she is finally able to talk to Gran about the very thing that sent her running to Gran’s in the first place -the blended family thing

The book is a wonderful lighthearted look at some tough subjects Subjects such as the lack of individuality in a retirement home full of rules and

standards, merging families, old age after losing a spouse, finding one’s place after losing familiar ground, loneliness, brooding about change, the blended family, and staying stubborn and defiant against change Margaret and her Grandmother, the young and the old, deal with the same issues on

different levels By the story’s end things fall into place for the both of

them!

If you liked this book, try:

Animal House and Iz by Betty Hicks

Doing Time Online by Jan Siebold

Curriculum Connections:

Social Studies: communities, families, the individual versus society

Science: aging

Guidance: sensitivity to others’ feelings

Language arts: journal writing

Rats Grandmas do have problems She’s moodier than I am, since Grandpa died Plus, she no longer lives in the house she and Grandpa shared Let’s see…I’ll visit all of Gran’s neighbors and invite them to her house for a party Things will surely fall into place then, maybe even for me!

Prepared by: Rose Davis